Jets’ rookies bond over baseball

Demario Davis, a third-round draft pick of the New York Jets, threw out a first pitch Monday at TD Bank Ballpark. (Courtesy of Patriots)

BRIDGEWATER — Demario Davis figures to be a regular on sports highlights shows once he begins his rookie season with the Jets. On Monday night, however, his only goal was to avoid joining NBA stars John Wall and Dirk Nowitzki on a video reel of ceremonial first pitches gone awry.

“My goal is just to try to get it across the plate,” Davis said as he gripped a baseball in the home dugout prior to taking the field at TD Bank Ballpark. “That’s what I’m trying to focus on — a strike across the plate. As long as I don’t dead it into the ground or throw it over the fence I’m alright.”

The outside linebacker and third-round draft choice passed the test under the watchful eye of several fellow rookie teammates, all of whom watched the Somerset Patriots face the Long Island Ducks as part of a Jets-organized outing during two weeks of rookies-only activities.

“I played baseball up until ninth grade,” Davis said. “I was playing basketball and running track and you had to kind of pick what you want to do. I wish I had stayed with it. I think I would’ve got a deal.”

Jordan White had a deal — or rather a scholarship — to play baseball at Villanova University among other places, but instead choose to be a wide receiver at Western Michigan. The Jets drafted White in the seventh round but he missed all of mini-camp with a broken foot, though his cast was gone Monday.

“Football kind of took over at the end (of high school),” White said. “Baseball scholarships didn’t pay everything like football scholarships did. I think my love for baseball went down a little bit, but being back on the field makes me feel otherwise. It all worked out.”

Much to the chagrin of Davis, who boasted to teammates that he would “hit the furthest ball,” a 4 p.m. thundershower canceled the scheduled inter-mingled Jets and Patriots batting practice.

“I was a little disappointed,” he said. “I wanted to get out and fine-tune the swing, and see if I could learn a few tips from these minor-leaguers.”

While the Patriots took out a Jets helmet for autographs and tossed around a football pregame, manager and former Yankees star Sparky Lyle was not ready for a role reversal.

“I think it is fun to do things like this — our guys are looking forward to it,” Lyle said. “One thing is for sure — we’re not going to put on the pads and play with them. That’s a lose-lose situation.”

Still, there was easily identifiable value in having the rookies bond away from the facility — as they already have over watching the NBA Finals, playing video games and hanging out at the mall.

“It’s a little different coming into a setting like this because there is money involved when it’s at the professional level,” White said. “People are here for different reasons than others that you might have in college, but at the end of the day it’s just like (starting) college — meeting a new group of guys and learning a new offense.”

What have they noticed thus far?

“It’s definitely encouraging to know that you come in with a group that is not just happy to be there,” Davis said, “but is very devoted to taking their game to the next level.”

While Jets coach Rex Ryan has compared Davis’ leadership ability to that of Pro Bowl linebackers Ray Lewis and Bart Scott, the Arkansas State product refuses to get swept away in the hype — heeding the advice of a former college professor.

“I remember coming in as a hot-headed freshman and saying, ‘You know, I’ve got a lot of potential.’ And she said ‘You know what potential means? It means you haven’t done anything yet,’ ” Davis said. “Understanding that, it makes you more grounded. You still have a lot to do and a lot to prove, but it’s less about yourself and it’s more about the team. I’m just trying my best to help this team win a Super Bowl. That’s going to be our goal going in, and that’s going to always be our goal.”

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